Shoe-tree.



S. BARUCH. SHOE TREE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. I9l8.

1 ,29@,879 a I Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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SAMUEL BARUCH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

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Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application filed April 10, 1918. Serial No. 227,670. g

To all wkom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, SAMUEIT BARUCH, a

citizen of the United States and resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Trees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved shoe tree adapted for use in stretching or forming shoes, displaying them, holding them .in

proper shape while not in use or while be ing polished or cleaned. My improved construction is formed entirely of sheet material cut and stamped or formed to the desired shape and the invention resides in certain important features of construction whereby greater durability, reduced cost of manufacture, and the improved operation is secured.

The shoe tree in its preferred form includes separate heel and toe parts, each of 'stamped material, preferably sheet metal,

and a connecting spring strap rigidly secured at-its ends. My improved heel part is designed to fit the shoe not only upand down the rear seam but is readily adjustable to properly fit and support shoes of varying heel widths. The construction of this heel novel and important parts of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings I have illus trated one embodiment of my inventlon. Although it will of course be obvious that I do not desire to be limited to the specific details of construction there shown.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a preferred form of my shoe tree in position.

Fig. 2 is a-top plan view of the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the toe part.

Fig. 1 is a rear end view of the toe part.

Fig. 5 is a development of the heel part before attachment to the connecting strip.

In the form illustrated the toe part is formed of a single piece of sheet material, preferably sheet metal, which is'cut and bent to form an arched top .wall 10 and an approximately flat bottom wall 11, the two walls being; connected together along the sides and front and being open at the rear,

to the shape of the toe part of the shoe.

The bottom wall 11 has a slot 12 extending longitudinally thereof, and is cut away at interior of the shoe while the shoe tree is in place.

The heel part includes a. substantiallyvertical plate portion 13 which is curved both vertically and transversely to conform generally to the rear of the shoe heel.

Integral with this plate are two wing portions 14l4 but the opposite vertical edges curve and extend forwardly alongthe sides of the shoe heel. These preferably are of. less height than the ear plate and are spaced above the sole of the shoe so as to engage only adjacent the upper part of the vamp. These wings may be bent toward or away from each other to adjust the device to varying heel widths and when once adjusted will retain their form. To stifienv them and also to reduce the amount of metal in direct contact with the inner surface of the shoe the wings are longitudinally corrugated or have portions 15 forced inwardly to a slight extent as indicated particularly in Fig. 2.

For connecting the toe and heel parts I provide a spring steel strap 16 of such size and stiifness as to require bending as shown in Fig. 1 to permit-the insertion of the shoe tree. When thus in place it tends to separate the toe and-heel parts and hold the. shoe in proper form. I

As an important feature of my invention I provide a top wall 10' of the toe part and the verticalplate 13 of the heel part with 4 transversely extending parallel slots of slightly greater length than the width of the strap 16 and force inwardly the metal portions 17 between adjacent pairs of slots to form guides and retainers for the ends of the spring strap. At the toe part the strip is mserted beneath the top plate 10, and above the two retainer portions 17 while at the rear the strap is inserted in front of 'the plate 13 cent depressed retainer parts 17, the metal of the toe or heel part is forwd downwardly or countersunk and within this countersunk portion is secured a rivet 19 which may extend through a suitable opening in the spring strap, thus only a sin le rivet is used at each end but the strap is firmly and rigidly held against endwise, lateral or turning movement. The connection of the strap to the shoe or heel part does not interfere with the presentation of a substantially smooth exterior surface for engagement with the shoe lining.

In the foregoing description I have referred to the device as a shoe tree but it will of course be evident that under the term shoe I intend to include slippers, boots, and all other forms of footwear.

The strap 17 may be made of various different lengths to suit diflerent shoes and there may be if desired a series of holes adjacent to each end and through any one of which the rivet may be secured to give the desired length.

My improved shoe tree may be made in pairs as rights or lefts, form shown in Fig. 2 being for a left shoe. If desired, the toe pieces may be made symmetrical in respect to a central. verticallongitudinal plane so as to be freely interchangeable in right orleft shoes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe tree having a heel part formed of a sheet metal plate, curved vertically and transversely and having forwardly extending side wings spaced above the lower edge of said plate and corrugated lengthwise to re-inforce the same and a spring metal strap extending upwardly from said plate and having a portion parallel with and secured to the upper part of the rear or central portion thereof.

2. A shoe tree, having a heel part formed of a sheet metal plate, including a body portion curved vertically and transversely and forwardly extending wings at the side edges of said body portion with their upper edges constituting extensions of the upper edge of the body portion and naving their lower edges spaced above and substantially paral lel with the lower edge of the body portion.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of April, A. D. 1918.

SAMUEL BARUGH. 

